The Alien
by TsumeAri
Summary: A new school, new neighbor, and new good friends, but one of the new faces Quatre sees shakes him deeply. What is wrong with the Alien? 4+3, Au, angst. [chapter 3]
1. teaser There's something wrong with him

Uh.. Hey! I'm sorry, but here's another new one. It seems that my comp decided to get rid of all my notes for Wild Hunt. So in between my tears of damn fury and looking for my backup copies I decided to vent my frustration with a teaser. I need to know if you guys are going to like this. It's my first 3+4 and so I'm just experimenting. This chapter might not be that interesting but it will get better..I promise. ~^_^~ Anyway, this story is based on one of my favorite books titled The Only Alien on the Planet. I'm going strictly from the book but taking liberties with situations where I see fit, so anyone who's read the book will recognize it, but will still be able to say "I don't ever remember *that* happening." Hehe but then my story wouldn't be fanfiction right?  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kristen D. Randle, or her ingenuity..a pity really I'd like to have talent. I also don't own Gundam Wing or anything associated with it..also a pity..because then I'd have free reign to grab Duo by that braid of his, throw him to the ground and...uh. *looks sheepish* Nevermind.  
  
-Teaser-  
  
It was fate. The first time I'd ever laid eyes on him I'd been having one of the worst days of my life. Only fate could be that cruel.  
  
I'd just moved. It would have been easy had it only been a state away, but no.My father decided on starting afresh and moved us clear across the country. He'd made the decision right after my sister Iria left for college. //Just go with the flow Quatre, you should have been expecting they'd do something like this.// I remember her telling me. It was that little thing that made me suddenly realize how old she'd suddenly gotten and how much I'd miss her. My life had always been steady, never changing, *dependable* I guess you could say. It wasn't until she left that I realized my life had a hole in it shaped like her, and my rock steady existence was now taking on a whole new light. I never thought anything could go more wrong.  
  
So there I found myself. A thousand miles from home sitting stiffly in a non descript desk, in a room filled with people I didn't know and really didn't want to know. Go figure.  
  
I started suddenly as a person slid into the desk next to me, a wide grin plastered to his good natured face. He blinked his wide violet eyes, grin if possible, widening even more. He stuck out his hand. "Hiya! Duo Maxwell at your service." He jerked his thumb back in his direction for emphasis. "Are you a transfer student or did you just move in?"  
  
I stared at him, dumfounded for a moment. "Quatre," I stammered. Great already I'm making a fool of myself. "I moved here."  
  
Duo laughed "Great!" he looked around. "You've got a good start out already. Becky Sailor is giving you the eye." He nodded his head in the direction of a short-haired redhead. Looking over, I caught her eye and she waved.  
  
Blushing furiously I ducked, and Duo started laughing. "Is that good?" I muttered.  
  
"It isn't bad" he chirped, tossing his impossibly long braided hair over his shoulder.  
  
I gulped again and took another glance at the girl, and that's when I saw him..  
  
I could just see him over the girl's shoulder, which really shouldn't have been a problem since she was pretty short to begin with. I twisted in my seat to get a better look. My mind was overwhelmed, all noise seemed to fade, and everyone disappeared. There was nothing for me. Nothing but that beautiful boy in the corner of the room.  
  
Then the teacher entered the room shutting the door with more force than necessary, probably to get the students attention. I'd had that happen before. My concentration was broken, my gaze turned away from the face that shook my sanity. I turned to face forward again and threw a glance at Duo.  
  
His smile was gone from his face, and I had a slight feeling that it didn't happen often. His indigo eyes narrowed just a tad, and he gave a slight shake of his head. It wasn't an unfriendly look, but it was a warning. I definitely caught that much.  
  
The teacher had written her name on the board in large scrawling letters, and began giving us the same psycho babble you hear at the beginning at every year. The "This is Math and you better work you ass of" kinda thing. I immediately turned my thoughts inward, blocking out everything else. I only wanted to contemplate the back row of desks and only one in particular.  
  
He was tall, that much I could tell at the first glance. He was of medium build, and his skin was the alabaster of one who doesn't see the sun much. I kept wondering what he'd look like tanned copper.. His hair..to say the least was unusual. It was short at the back and to the right side, but at the front left his bangs were *long* Long and brushed forward over his left eye, seemingly gelled in place. It was Reddish chestnut in color, and looked *very* soft. It was his face though, that got me. It was that totally impassive look that hooked me and roped me in like this year's beef. His eyes.the one that I could see at least were green. Not the hazel green, or the aqua green that were my own..but *green* They were endlessly emerald. A deep, rich, perfect, forest green. And when I say deep I mean deep. Like you could almost fall into them. I was almost positive that they would suck you in and search your soul..did I mention that I like his eyes?  
  
It took me a few moments to realize that the class around me had gone silent.and most of them were staring at me. I vaguely heard Duo's voice. "I'll make sure that he gets one Ma'am." And I caught the death look from the teacher. I eeped softly, there was no other word for it, and blushed furiously, wishing I would shrivel up like a dead leaf and blow away, but such is life. I then made the extreme effort to pay attention for the rest of class, my gaze only once turning from the front, and that was when Duo caught my eye and winked. It was at that moment I knew I'd made a true, first friend.  
  
After class my curiosity got the better of me, as I watched my silent angel leave the room. I'd noticed before that Duo seemed like an easy talker, and so immediately pressed him for info. "Who is *he*" I asked, softly as we left the room.  
  
Duo grinned at what must have been blatant wonder in my tone. "His name's Trowa. Trowa Barton. I had forgotten how pretty he was till you started gaping at him." He waved his hand at me. "But I wouldn't bother with him though. The guy never speaks, to anybody. Not even his teachers."  
  
"Is he autistic or something?"  
  
"I don't know." Duo mused putting his hands behind his head. "I've heard plenty of rumors. Some that he can't talk, others that he won't, and even some that say he's the first human version of AI but that's just lunacy."  
  
I looked at him and smiled. "I get the feeling that you're one to talk, about lunacy."  
  
Duo stuck out his tongue. "Well I *do* know for the fact that the kid's strange. He never talks, smiles, never cries, or laughs. It's like the guy isn't capable of simple emotions. He just doesn't have any."  
  
"Could he just be the quiet type? It seems more probable than having no emotions." I reasoned.  
  
Duo looked thoughtful as he stopped and began fumbling with his locker. He gazed around the crowded hallway, and then snatching me arm, pointed down it. "You see that boy there? The one with the really *really* messy hair?"  
  
I followed his finger, and spotted the youth. "Yes."  
  
"There's your example of the quiet type. That's Heero Yuy, the school's resident math nerd. If he can't show you how to do it, than only Barton knows how." Duo turned back to his locker and fumbled through the mess. It amazed me that on only the first day, Duo could make it look like he'd been using it for months. "I know for a fact, that Heero's quiet. He never speaks unless he has too.or I bug the hell out of him. His silence is different though than Trowa's. Heero shows emotion, even when he doesn't mean to. Trowa's just." He shoved some books in his bag and paused. "Trowa's just not *there* I mean, you can't be alright in the head if you can't show even the tiniest emotion, it's just not healthy."  
  
We began walking on. "Is he smart then? You said that if.. Heero? Is that what his name was?"  
  
Duo nodded. "Yeah, Trowa's smart alright. I don't know why he's here. He gets perfect scores. On *everything* I even heard rumors that he wrote a test for the faculty or something."  
  
I mused for awhile. "He must have had it hard when he was young." I suddenly felt sad. "People not understanding him."  
  
Duo snorted. "Well the world's full of jerks. I remember him getting beat up in fifth grade. A bunch of kids just threw him on the ground and started trying to pound his head in. If it weren't for Heero I don't know what would have happened."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
A grin nearly split the braided boy's face. "It was wonderful, I'd never seen so much life in Heero as I did that day. He just waded in shouting in Japanese or something, and he just started throwing people. He was so ticked."  
  
The conversation ended as we stopped in front of an innocent looking door, and I watched with amusement as Duo visibly cringed. "AP physics." He groaned, slowly pushing open the door. "Welcome to the class from *Hell*"  
  
***  
  
Returning home in a tired haze exhausted from school, Duo's chatter, and my thoughts of one Trowa Barton. I threw my stuff into the nearest corner, and had just began taking off my shoes when I found a large box was shoved forcefully into my arms. I yelped and staggered under its almost knee buckling weight managing to poke my head around the side and peer into a sternly smirking face (believe me it's possible.)  
  
"Wufei?!" I exclaimed, as I stumbled over to the living room and dumped the box on the floor. My cousin followed. "What are you doing here?"  
  
He gave me a small grin. "What kind of hello is that Winner? I thought you had been brought up with better manners."  
  
"Sorry Wufei." Blushing I embraced my Chinese cousin then held him at arms length to look him over. "I haven't seen you since I was ten, and that was seven years ago!"  
  
My cousin nodded, and straightened his navy tank. "Well your mother thought that you could use some company while she and your father set up their shop. I have permission from my parents to attend school with you as well."  
  
--Now, my cousin Wufei and I really aren't cousins. Not by blood anyway. He was adopted as a baby, right around the time I was born, so he's just a few months older than me. My Aunt and Uncle weren't able to have children, they said it had some thing to do with my Uncle's sperm, so they decided to adopt. Wufei came straight from Hong Kong, not too soon after he was born, which is a pretty amazing feet, due to the fact that the adoption process takes an *extremely* long time. We grew up together.well at least till we were about ten. We'd been almost like brothers, but had lost touch over the years. I though it was cool that our parents thought of letting us spend more time together. I was a fan of the "old norms" we left behind, and while Wufei was an extremely old norm that I hadn't seen in almost a decade, it still made me feel a little more at home.--  
  
I nodded slowly taking in his words and smiled. "Just like old times then."  
  
Wufei rolled his eyes. "Don't get soft on me Winner."  
  
Laughing I looked at the box I had brought in, and looked around at the many others that filled the room. My violin was upstairs in the room I had claimed as my own. All the large furniture had been already moved in, and all that was left was to unpack the smaller stuff. I grimaced and looked at my cousin. "Do you want to do this now, or would you like to go do something else?"  
  
He too began scanning the room, his almond shaped eyes narrowing at the sheer amount of boxes that were stacked along each wall. "I think your parents would have wanted us to start at least." He sighed. ".but I never have been one for arranging other people's things."  
  
"So what do you want to do?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
***  
  
Fifteen minutes later, found us seated on the grass of the front yard. Each of us was sporting that weeks literature, and I found it quite enjoyable to just lose myself in the comfort of companionable silence and a good book.  
  
A door slamming in the next yard tore me away from a bewitching story of a young girl accomplishing a dead messenger's mission to his king, and I watched in partial annoyance at the two young girls that had come barreling out, followed much more quietly by a boy about my age with the messiest hair I had ever seen. A pang of recognition hit me, and I realized that this was the same boy the Duo had pointed out earlier that day.What was his name..Heero Yuy? It felt right, and it was interesting to be able to get a better look at the proclaimed "savior" of that strange boy in my math class.  
  
He walked ramrod straight. Back set in a posture that looked military derived. His hair was a dark chocolate in color and his skin was a shade that I couldn't help but think Trowa should have. It was a creamy coppery tan. Clad in a black tee-shirt and loosely fitting jeans the boy carried a mitt in one hand and a ball in the other. Around his feet clambered what only could be his sisters. They were reaching desperately for the ball, smaller mitts on their hands and crying out in a language that I couldn't understand.  
  
"Oni-chan! Onegai!" one girl cried loudly, giving me my final clue that the language spoken was Japanese. She had short brown hair like her brothers, but not nearly as wild. Her face was freckled by the sun, and she was very brown, clearly the tomboy.  
  
The other little girl appeared to be younger maybe around five. She had black hair that was pulled back into a pony tail, and a bright pink shirt that said "Angel" on the front of it. This little one had a fistful of her brother's pants and was proceeding to try and use her grasp to pull her brother down to the ground. The boy though, didn't seem too amused though, and barked at them in their odd liquid language. The girls obediently stepped back and stood straight and tall before him.  
  
I smiled. It was an absolutely adorable expression of family life. I sighed softly, only wishing that my family wasn't so turned upside down by Iria leaving for college, and my families move across the country. It left me with a strange feeling of separation. Yes, by now you've noticed that I'm a fan of the known and constant universe. Change for me was unwelcome, and almost frightening.  
  
By now my three neighbors were playing catch. Heero, lobbing easy pitches to his sisters, who it seemed, found a need to throw as hard as they could so they could make their throws act like their big brother's. Sibling worship.it can be a blessing or a curse.  
  
I had just returned to my book, finding that Wufei had fallen asleep during his own reading when one particularly wild pitch flew over the wooden fence that separated our yard and hit the ground rolling, almost making it right to my "dead to the world" cousin. I suppressed a chuckle at the thought of how he would have reacted if the thing had conked him on the head. I could just hear him screaming.  
  
Picking up the ball I turned to the fence noticing that from between the slats of wood two eager faces peered through. I could also see Heero standing a few feet away from them and watching.  
  
"You're the new neighbor!" squeaked the short-haired girl. Her voice was only slightly accented which amazed me after listening to their fluent conversation in a language not my own. I had to admit a slight jealousy of that kind of talent.  
  
Realizing I still had not answered I quickly nodded an affirmative. "My name is Quatre Winner." I said moving my gaze across all three to note that my conversation was with all. Heero began moving closer as I continued. ".and that's Wufei." I jerked my head in the direction of my cousin. "Hey Chang!" I called. "Wake up an be polite."  
  
Wufei started awake and snorted grass as he fumbled to realize where the heck he has fallen asleep. Sneezing uncontrollably for nearly a minute afterwards. "You let me sleep out here?" he growled, brushing himself off and scowling at me. "I could have died from hay fever."  
  
"But wouldn't that be weak?" I chimed softly  
  
Opening and closing his mouth for a second I had the great pleasure of watching my snippy cuz fumble for a reply, and not quite catch it. He glared at me, stood, and stalked back into the house.  
  
The girls giggled "He's funny." The pony-tailed one stated between her giggles. Then she moved away from the fence giving a bow. "My name's Aya." She said, and I grinned at her.  
  
Her sister did the same "Mine's Myuki" She jerked her thumb at her brother, who in turn glared at her. "He's Heero."  
  
He nodded a greeting. "We have classes together."  
  
"Yeah," I acknowledged, thinking for a moment. "I heard something about you today."  
  
The boy raised an eyebrow, and I stupidly noticed his eyes were a shockingly cobalt blue.  
  
"Duo told me."  
  
"About Trowa."  
  
He had surprised me, and I stared at him.  
  
The boy waved it off. I noticed his sisters had walked off to play some more.  
  
"Duo has a big mouth for an American." The Asian boy smirked. "He made the story my claim to fame. He wanted to make me feel more accepted by the kids." Heero shrugged. "When in truth he was right there with me beating anyone who laid a hand on the boy."  
  
"He seemed pretty proud of you though. Like a guardian Angel."  
  
It started with his neck and ears, but began slowly making it's way to his cheeks and before I had time to blink, Heero was blushing radiantly. "Duo's a baka." He mumbled, and I began to laugh. Cobalt eyes glared at me halfheartedly, and a small smirk graced his lips. "He lives on the other side of me you know."  
  
"Duo?"  
  
"No Trowa."  
  
"Really?" I exclaimed, looking over at the normal looking white house with its green shutters. It looked like any other house on the street. Flowers of all different colors were planted outside and the lawn was cut neatly. I don't know what I had been expecting. Maybe for the place the place to look a little more contained. like a psyche ward. It was a strange thought I know.  
  
Heero watched me, a strange look passing over his face. When he spoke his voice was almost a whisper. "He's normal you know."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"He could speak if he wanted."  
  
I was confused. "What do you mean? Are you saying he doesn't talk just because he doesn't feel like it?"  
  
Heero nodded his face emotionless. "He chooses his own clothes and dresses himself.."  
  
"And.." I huffed in frustration. Getting the kid to continue the conversation was like pulling teeth.  
  
Grimacing Heero waved his hands in the air. "He cares about what he looks like.not many people with brain damage could care to that extent."  
  
"Oh. Could his facial muscles be paralyzed?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"..."  
  
This wasn't getting me anywhere...So I did what every other exasperated neighbor did. I sighed in partial annoyance..and then invited him over for pizza.  
  
***  
  
~Okay.. There it was. Looks around at all the empty seats..*sniffles* Won't anyone read my story? Onegai? I'll be your best friend. *gets smacked in the head by the insanity police.* Itai! You bastards! Oh well*rubs head* Please read and review! I like to know that my stuff is actually read! 


	2. Alien continued

Disclaimer: I don't own Kristen D Randle, or gundam wing, but please love the hell that I've created.  
  
Continuation: 1  
  
"Why didn't you tell me you lived next to Heero?" Duo groaned with the sound of the long suffering. "I've had a crush on that boy ever since 5th grade." He took a big bite out of his sandwich.  
  
I stared at him incredulously. "You what?!" I gasped dropping the tin of fruit that my mom had placed in my lunch.  
  
Raising an eyebrow Duo smirked. "I never hid the fact-"  
  
"That you're gay?" I gasped. I didn't realize at the time what a jerk I was being.  
  
Indigo eyes narrowed at me. "You have a problem with that?" He hissed. It surprised me, Duo was normally cheerful him being angry was shocking.  
  
"N-no." I said very softly, feeling slightly off base. "I'm sorry."  
  
Duo grinned "It's okay, any way I'm actually bi..I guess that means I hit on anything with legs." He laughed at his own joke and cast a speculative glance at me. "And with the way you were staring at Mr. Tall-Dark-and Silent I thought you were too." He stared as I started sputtering and turned a bright shade of red. "Did I say something wrong?"  
  
Breathing deeply to calm my racing heart and to hopefully pale my flaming cheeks I glared at him picking up my spoon and starting in on my fruit.  
  
"I really never thought about it." I answered truthfully around a bite of peach. "I can't really explain why he struck me so." I shrugged to accentuate the fact. Something was nagging around the edge of my thoughts and I decided to ask. "You like him because of that time he saved Trowa right?"  
  
Duo nodded and attempted to speak around a mouthful of creamed corn. "Mnot olmlee thfat.." He paused and swallowed, choking for a moment before washing it down with his drink. "Ahh.Um. where was I?.. Oh yeah. It wasn't only that. I mean look at the guy. He's godforsaken gorgeous." He sighed yet again a faint blush creeping over his cheeks. "I guess you could say that rescuing Barton was the tip of the iceberg for me." His grin got even wider. "I love a guy with a soft spot."  
  
I snorted softly into my drink and offered him the rest of my fruit. Duo accepted gladly.  
  
***  
  
After a week of my existence at my new school I began to notice something strange.  
  
Trowa.It seemed had acquired a rather strange nickname. I really noticed it at lunch and in the halls. I kept hearing snatches of little conversations, and I didn't know what to make of it. //Who got the highest grade on the test?  
  
The Alien did.//  
  
//Who's that guy?  
  
That's the Alien.//  
  
It really amazed me that some of the students didn't know his name at all, and Trowa was oblivious to all of it. Like he was living in his own dark dimension. He was no longer a person. more like some object, or a vague shadow..a trick of the light. It made me sad.and yet I was drawn to watch him.. as if I might catch something the others might have missed. I do believe that I was searching for conformation that there was something there. Someone behind that all too serene face. It drove me with such intensity that It scared me..really scared me. So when Heero quietly asked if I'd like to meet him I immediately shied away.  
  
--For a moments pause. what are you afraid of? What scares *you* more than anything?--  
  
I began to rethink my situation. What could possibly frighten me? Why is it that meeting a strange, mute boy, could frighten me more than anything else? Had Iria been there she would have talked me through it, but sadly she wasn't so I turned to the next best thing.  
  
Wufei had always been blunt with me. Even in my childhood he had deciphered the many problems that happened to plague my under-developed mind. He was the only one I felt that I could turn to since Heero was part of my problem, and Duo got ever so irritable whenever I even mentioned the blue- eyed boy even though I told him our relationship was going to be very fraternal.  
  
"Weak."  
  
I hadn't even gotten the full story out and he had called me that.  
  
"What? You didn't even let me finish." I couldn't hide the undercurrent of hurt in my voice.  
  
He waved a hand at me. "I didn't need to. You're afraid of making a commitment. You're afraid of being pushed outside of your *Zone*" He did the finger quotes.I kid you not. "Of comfort." He glared at me. "Weakness." He stated in a partially singsong tone.  
  
I glared right back knowing that mine was nowhere near as intimidating. "Give me a break-"  
  
"Does he drool?"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"I asked does he drool?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Or smell funny?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Or do poorly in class?"  
  
"No! Wufei!"  
  
"What?" he asked. "From what you answer there's nothing physically wrong with him." He shrugged. "It just seems like you're afraid of having attachment to something you don't understand or haven't even tried to."  
  
Leave it to Wufei to make me feel guilty and ashamed.  
  
"If you want," He continued. "I could go with you to meet him."  
  
"No" I snapped, "That won't be necessary."  
  
There ended that conversation.  
  
***  
  
As the days passed I "conveniently" avoided all of Heero's attempts to get me over to Trowa's house.but it was getting harder.  
  
After the first week of school Wufei and I had started doing homework together, comparing notes and generally helping each other. After dinner, Heero would stop by and join us, and all three of us would be lolling all over the living room surrounded by books and papers. Heero would have his reading glasses on, which surprised me at first, he usually didn't wear them. Not too soon after Heero's arrival I //of course// started inviting Duo over, much to his extreme happiness, and we had quite an enjoyable time. I think Duo taught me every technique for annoying Heero there possibly is, and it was quite adorable to watch the quiet boy blush every time Duo came near him. It made me sigh and wish that I had someone.  
  
Then it happened. My math teacher assigned the problem of doom! Oh it was a hellish problem. One of the ones that are tediously long and so difficult that the teacher will only assign a few of them. I took one look at the damn thing and nearly cried. I asked Heero for help, and I sat there for 20 minutes as I watched Heero read the thing over and over again, and nibble his pencil down to near nothing. He then looked up at me, pulled off his glasses and got up. Tucking my book and papers under one arm he gestured at me to follow him.  
  
Duo looked up from his essay. "Where ya guys goin?" He asked batting his violet eyes at Heero who, blushed as red as a tomato and for a moment looked struck speechless.  
  
He looked down and away almost hugging my books. I stifled a giggle. "To Trowa's." He said softly looking anywhere in the room but at Duo and I. I felt a sudden jolt of fear mixed with a little bit of humor. I guess it had been his plan to just drag me out the door without saying where the hell we were going, but when Duo asked I don't think Heero had it in him to brush him off, but all in all I did feel a healthy dose of nervousness set in.  
  
---Don't mind me I like to add more than my two cents every once in awhile. It had struck me that before this Heero was a quiet boy. Hey don't you "no duh" me because I had also noticed by this point that my braided friend was the only one who could always get a straight answer from Heero, or any answer at all. Heero told me later that he just didn't have it in him to lie to Duo, not when the "braided baka." (his words not mine.) had made it his practice not to lie to anyone himself. I thought it was adorable.---  
  
"To Trowa's" He said again, throwing an apologetic look at me. He hung his head again. "I can't do this problem..he can help."  
  
"Help?" Duo snorted. "That guy can't even look a person straight in the eye. How is he going to help?"  
  
Heero threw the boy one of his patented glare'o dooms. "You can come if you want."  
  
Duo knowing he had hit a sore spot rose form his seat. "Sure I'll come. Gomen nasai Hee-chan."  
  
I watched in partial amusement as Heero's glare became something a little different, filled with a little more surprise than anger..and what was that? I swore I saw a smirk begin to pull at his lips. I would have found it more astounding had I not been feeling less than cheerful at the moment, and extremely conscious of the fact Wufei was giving me one of those "Gotcha!" looks.  
  
My cousin looked at all three of us. A superior smirk rooted to his face. "Maxwell, I do believe that you are in the middle of writing that essay for Hendrichs class am I right?"  
  
Duo stared at him and nodded. I could almost see the wheels turning in my friend's head, just wondering what Wufei was up to. "Yeah." he said slowly. "Well I think I'm also right in assuming that paper is due tomorrow and it's supposed to be quite lengthy."  
  
"I'll get to it."  
  
"When Maxwell?"  
  
"Uh.." Duo looked at me, his paper lying on the couch unattended, and then back at Wufei. He groaned. "You guys go ahead. I think I'll stay here." He plunked himself back down on the couch totally unaware of the glare I was trying to burn through Wufei's forehead. My Chinese cousin though, was unruffled and just grinned at me. He knew very well that having Duo there would be a way for me to not focus on my fear, and I hated him for it. Duo's cheerful smile would have at least backed me up and not made me feel so self-conscious. //Here Quatre face you fears.walk right into the boy's house.// I mean how do you introduce yourself to a person like Trowa? *Hi Trowa this is my friend Quatre..Nice to Meet you Trowa..* and then what? A nice conversation? I think not.  
  
I was silently fuming inside as Heero dragged me out the door, down the sidewalk, and then up the walkway to the House of Trowa Barton.  
  
***  
  
I don't know what I had been expecting. I mean his house and lawn were pretty immaculate. There were flowers in the front garden and a swing on the porch. The door was answered by a middle aged woman who, in her day must have been quite lovely. She looked at us and frowned a bit, confused probably at the fact there were two teenaged boys standing on her front porch. She must have been even more confused at what Heero asked because I could see her frown deepen. Myself at the time, was too nervous to really concentrate on anything so I didn't actually hear what either of them said. I had just enough politeness in me to bow to the woman as she let us in and stammer out a greeting. I didn't even remember afterwards what I had said to her, but whatever it was it made Heero raise and eyebrow.  
  
We were led into a beautifully furnished dining room. The light was dim at first but brightened as who could only be Mrs. Barton turned a dimmer switch. Brightness flared from an artistically curving iron chandelier and she told us quietly to have a seat. I took my chair and sat hesitantly noticing that the chairs were upholstered in an ivory material, and I couldn't vouch for how clean the back of my pants were. I just couldn't remember if I had sat in the grass earlier that day or not.  
  
And then suddenly he was there.  
  
I had just turned to look at Heero to see if he was a little disconcerted by all of this and there he was. I didn't hear him come in, and I certainly didn't hear him sit down. It was like he just appeared. As if out of nowhere. His gaze was on me.well not really it was somewhere beyond my left shoulder. He was just sitting there, hands in his lap. Just staring. I looked at Heero his brows were furrowed as he looked at the boy seated next to him. He passed me my book over the table. "Show him." He hissed softly, leaning back in his chair. I guess he just intended to watch the proceedings.  
  
I glared at him and then opened my book to the page. Laying it out on the table, I put a clean sheet of paper beside it and slid it towards Trowa. Then I waited. I guess it must have been only a few seconds but to me it was an eternity. Then he moved.  
  
It was only a simple movement of his gaze from the wall down to the table, as if he suddenly had this urge to look down and suddenly notice an open math book and paper that just "Magically appeared before him." I noticed though that never once did his eyes make contact with me or anything else seemingly real until he looked at the textbook. Like his gaze had been turned solidly inward and just for a moment in time was he returning to the land that we deem "normal." It was unnerving.  
  
"*Show him*" Heero whispered to me. "Show him how you did it."  
  
"That's the problem I *don't* know how." I grumbled.  
  
Trowa picked up a pencil.  
  
The room stopped.  
  
He took the sheet of new paper and began laying out the first problem on the page. He did it slowly and with great detail, showing every bit of work, every addition, every change in sequence. I became enrapt with watching. Mesmerized with the problem, locked into something that always adds, just not for me. I remember at one point not understanding.  
  
"Wait." I said.  
  
His hands stopped and he waited.  
  
I caught myself just realizing what I had done. It didn't even hit me that I didn't say anything. I just watched as Trowa continued to do the problem, only starting from a few steps up. He carefully outlined his work again, running his pencil over all the lines that he had already penned down, making it so even a baby could have gotten it.  
  
We did a few more problems and then left, but it wasn't until I had reached the door to my house that I actually knew the meaning of what Heero had told me before. There *was* someone behind that mask. My math had just proved it. There was someone home.but no lights on.  
  
*** Hey kids! Second chapter finished. *giggles stupidly and runs around.* I hope this isn't too much like the book I've been trying to change it as much as possible but some things must be left for the effect. So blah! Anyway hope you liked it! Read and review peoples. Read and review. Ja ne! 


	3. Alien continued 2

Hello again! Here's the third chapter to this little one. ..Well to tell you the truth by the time I'm done with this I think it will be a *big* little one. I've got big plans for my baby. By the way I want to thank you guys for all the support I'm getting for this fic. I've found that I have some really loyal readers and I'm really happy that you took the time to read this. Oh and to a few of my readers..hehe. If this is the "new crack" I had no idea that a drug could look this good! ^_^ Well I can tell you that this will keep going, but to those who asked for lemon, I can't oblige you here. "Everything in its proper place at the proper time." Uh..not to mention I've never written one of those anyway and I'm definitely *not* going to start here. Enough said, let's go!  
  
Disclaimer:: With all the times that I've said I don't own them..you'd think people would get the picture by now, don't you agree?  
  
~ ~Alien: Continued 2~ ~  
  
"I can't believe it!"  
  
Heero stared at me in shock. "What?"  
  
I glared at him. You know exactly what. The two of you have been all over each other for weeks, and you haven't asked him?"  
  
My quiet friend turned a wonderful shade of crimson and cringed. In an attempt to pull on his imaginary cloak of indifference, he shrugged. "I just haven't had the time."  
  
I bristled. I'm usually pretty nice to my friends, but I can't stand denial. "My foot Heero.."  
  
If anything his blush got worse.  
  
I studied his cowering for out of the corner of my eye as I shoved books into my locker. "You're scared." I stated thoughtfully, feeling a wave of sympathy wash over me. "Why Heero? You both know you like each other."  
  
He grimaced at me. "Duo is..." He gestured with his hand searching for the right word. "Exuberant. Cheerful." then pausing to think for a moment. "*Lively*"  
  
I nodded. "Yeah so?"  
  
I received the end of a pointed glare and felt the need to shrink away. Heero is very giving with his glares'o doom, as Duo has taken to calling them. He'll glare at anything for so much as just breathing if you give him the chance. I, though was just frustrated enough to straighten up and give Mr. Yuy the tongue-lashing he deserved.  
  
"You introduced me to one of your friends, why can't you date one of mine?" I said as gently as I could but with an undercurrent of steel.  
  
Blue eyes narrowed even more. "That is *not* the same thing. You don't know what you're asking."  
  
I stood firm, staring straight back at him. At that moment I felt like the epitome of defiance. I was bearing the weight of a full blast deathglare and I had not yet crumbled. It was exhilarating in a way. I smiled softly. It was something Duo had told me to do.  
  
// "Heero's just big on intimidation. He won't hurt you unless severely provoked." He rubbed his head from where Heero's hand had made its mark earlier. "I've learned that if you smile it really throws him of guard." He grinned at me and batted his eyes. "Just like that."//  
  
Now my smile could never have the same impact as Duo's, but it did do me a big favor in causing Heero to lighten up. He grunted in annoyance. "Duo told you to do that."  
  
I chuckled softly and shouldered my bag. "Yes he did." Softening my gaze to what has been called by my family as pathetically pleading, I looked at Heero. "Please think about it Heero. It could never hurt for you to ask." I smile at the stunned look on his face. The pleading look can never be withstood. Another mental point went in my direction. I turned and began walking away. Over my shoulder I took one last glance and smiled. "It's amazing the answers you receive if you just ask."  
  
***  
  
Summer had given in to fall, and I had watched with delight as the leaves slowly changed from green to scarlet and gold. It was nothing like where I had lived on the West Coast where the weather was mild most of the time. My parents were gone continuously, and I found myself most often in the capable clutches of my "New" family. Heero was over almost every day, Wufei lived with me, and Duo often sprang through the door at random (and usually when you least expected him) Except for Friday evenings when he had Debate club.  
  
Heero's sisters were also at my house a ton of the time. For some reason they had developed a strong attachment to my cousin, and hung all over him when they got the chance. He often ranted about this when they left, but he didn't mean it. When the girls were over he was most gentle with them and never said a cruel word to them. Heero said he was better with his sisters than *he* was. Duo usually followed this comment by saying that Wufei would make a great mother..It was quite funny.  
  
My grades were excellent. My english grade was near perfect and as for physics I was working hard to maintain the high 80's range, but I enjoyed the subject to the fullest. Math though was once again my struggling point and I usually had to have Heero explain it out to me, which only made me more confused, so he ended up dragging me to Trowa's on a near daily basis. There I would be severely humbled in my math skills and feeling like a damned idiot when I left. It was unnerving.  
  
It was a night like any other. My friends and I were sprawled all over my house, and Duo was raiding my fridge. I can't quite remember what he said that was so funny but the next thing I knew my house had erupted in hysterics and I was doubled over with tears in my eyes. The house from then on was in chaos, and no matter how composed I tried to make myself I just couldn't get my math done, and Heero wasn't helping me. He could hardly get a word out. He'd take one look at Duo, who'd waggle his eyebrows, and the boy would collapse laughing. I'd never seen Heero in such a non-serious mood. Of course him starting to laugh would start the whole house up again, so I threw up my hands in exasperation while in mid chortle.  
  
I noticed Heero had gotten up and pulled on his coat. He was breathing deeply to compose himself, and when he looked at me and jerked his head toward the door I knew exactly what he wanted.  
  
Managing to mold myself into the appearance of semi calm I picked up my stuff and headed toward the door. Heero was glancing at the others who shook their heads.  
  
"Sorry Hee-chan" Duo chirped "But that boy creeps me out to the point of no return."  
  
Wufei nodded in agreement. "I have no reason to go over there anyway, and I don't want to overwhelm him." He grinned at Heero "I'll keep this braided idiot company." He grabbed Duo by the braid and gave it a hard yank, which caused the boy to yipe. He smirked even more at Heero's glare. "Go on you two. The sooner you leave the sooner you get back." He then picked up his book and turned his back to the door.  
  
As we stepped out into the chilly air I looked to Heero, feeling a hint of the giggles creeping up again, but this time I was almost positive they were from nervousness. A few weeks of my being over every night still could not break me of the strange fluttery feeling that rose in my stomach every time we went over there. "Heero should we wait to go over there?" I had caught the traces of laughter still lingering around Heero's mouth and eyes. I felt the inexpressible need to burst out laughing again. "Maybe..till we're a little more calm?"  
  
Heero appraised me silently, good humor pulling at his mouth. Then he strode full of purpose down the walk with me in tow.  
  
Mrs. Barton opened the door for us with a strained smile. She still couldn't see the reason we came over, and she definitely couldn't picture her son having friends. She was always cordial with us, but never more than that.  
  
We were ushered into that all too clean dining room where we sat across from each other and waited. Trowa came down in his usual silent manner and sat down in his customary place next to Heero and directly across from me...never once looking at us. Catching the twinkle in Heero's eyes, I choked on a laugh and opened my book. "Um.Here." I said. "It's these four over here." I pointed to the book. "I'm having a bit of a problem with these."  
  
Heero let out a strangled snort, which he changed into a sort of cough, but when he caught my eye again it all fell apart. Heero ended up head in his hands, back and chest heaving, and I in tears laughing into my arms on the table. Trowa just sat there. His hands moved from the table to his lap as he sat the staring off into nothing. Patiently waiting for us morons to calm down.  
  
Heero looked up trying to force himself into even a ghost of his usual attitude. "G-gomen." He gasped for a moment before trying again. "I'm sorry. I know you're probably getting annoyed with us."  
  
Trowa for a fraction of a second froze.  
  
Heero continued not noticing. "We don't mean to be an annoyance."  
  
Trowa blinked for a moment and then reached for a pencil.  
  
I could barely breathe so amazed was I. Heero hadn't noticed it, so busy was he apologizing for his strange behavior, but I saw it clear as day. A reation...Trowa had a *reaction* For a moment his world and ours collided. For a brief moment Trowa had been *there.*  
  
I began trying to focus on my math, planning on telling Heero about my discovery afterwards. Forcing my rebellious mind to comply I stared down at the paper, quickly getting confused. I voiced my opinion and Trowa restarted the problem, going through all his work, his checks, and his diagrams. Still I couldn't see it. I couldn't see the difference between what I had done and what he did. "..Wait a moment!" I cried in frustration grabbing Trowa's hand.  
  
The boy started, shoving forcibly away from the table. Then within the blink of an eye he was up and out the door.  
  
The room hung in stunned silence.  
  
Heero moved first, blinking slowly and rising to his feet grabbing his coat off the back of his chair. He looked at me expectantly. I rose also and we headed out, we didn't even see his parents on the way out. It was as if the house was empty.  
  
On the walk back outside I pulled on Heero's coat for him to stop. "What happened in there?" I asked quietly, feeling at a loss.  
  
His sigh was barely audible and a wisp of steam emanated from his mouth a slight breath. "I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you."  
  
"Tell me what."  
  
Cobalt eyes looked at me sadly. "No one *ever* touches Trowa." He glanced down. "He won't allow it. Not even his own parents."  
  
I gaped in shock. "Why?"  
  
"I don't know. It's just another of his quirks I guess."  
  
It was unreal. He couldn't be touched? It was something I couldn't imagine. My family was very close. We often shared hugs and kisses. Before Iria left the two of us would curl up on the couch and watch movies. We were, more often then not, wrapped in the same blanket sharing a bowl of popcorn. How could you live in a world without human touch? Or any contact at all? Was Trowa so far from the "known and constant universe" that I so loved? It posed an interesting question.  
  
Instantly I was reminded of what had also occurred inside the Barton house. "Hey Heero did you see what happened tonight?"  
  
"Hai, he walked out."  
  
I glared at him. "No the other thing. When we were laughing?"  
  
"Nani?"  
  
I groaned. "In english Heero I can't understand you."  
  
"G- I'm sorry." He ducked his head. "What did you mean?"  
  
"You mean you didn't see it?" I huffed.  
  
"I could see that we were annoying him." He said in mild exasperation picking up the pace to me house.  
  
"That's the point!" I cried. "We *were* annoying him."  
  
My Japanese neighbor stopped. "..He..reacted."  
  
I nodded "Yes he *did*. Then you said sorry because we were acting like idiots."  
  
Heero looked at me, eyes wide with surprise and shock. "It was communication."  
  
My smile was nearly splitting my face. "Yes, he was shocked when you said that. It was like he couldn't believe that we could tell what he was feeling." I thought for a moment. "Could he be getting used to us? Or maybe just us to him." I shook my head in confusion. "I really don't know. Being around him is like a puzzle in itself. I feel like I'm learning a whole different language."  
  
"..I know what that is like." Heero stated softly, then after a moment's quiet "What do you want to do?"  
  
"Yet again I don't know." I said, once again over-whelmed be my insecurities. Did I want this to go farther? Were we inserting ourselves where we really weren't welcome? "I don't know if what we've even seen so far is right." I stated. "He didn't ask for our help, and maybe if he doesn't want to communicate..Maybe we shouldn't bother." My voice sounded feeble and weak to my ears. It wasn't like me.  
  
"Yet there is math." Heero had stopped at my door, his hand on the handle his eyes turned inward. Maybe he was going through the same battle as I?  
  
From inside I could hear Duo laughing. His warm rich tone filled with happiness. I could see Heero's eyes flicker upon hearing it. The darkness around us seemed to get thicker. Here we were, moments from the familiar and fun, and yet with Trowa..only houses away from the unreal. I could feel the balance tipping in my heart. Looking back to Heero, I could see his grip on the handle tighten. His head turning even more when another burst of Duo's vibrant laughter could be heard. He wanted to be in there, but he was still making this my decision, my call. He wasn't about to bring others into it, or make Duo worry. He wanted an answer to his silently posed question before we stepped back into the familiar. I smiled softly at him, not knowing if he could see it on my face. ".Yes" I said my voice just above a whisper. "There is math."  
  
***  
  
^_^ Ohhh...Well now kiddies how was that one? Hehe. So what do you think is going to happen? Do you think Quatre is going to pull our silent Trowa out of his shell? ...You think so? Hmmmm...Well just you wait pets. Quatre is going to have to reach a little farther than he dares to go. It'll be hard on them I can promise you that.  
  
I'm really quite amazed that this story is going so well. It beat out one of my others first chapter..*sob* Oh well. Here's a shameless plug. Go read my other stories. Go read them and tell me what you think. Uh..well at least read Wild Hunt. You'll like it. Um, I think you will at least. Ahahahahaha! *laughs manically* ...okay...I think I'm done. 


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